How It Is These Days
by elflady14
Summary: Hermione's life is turned upside down one summer and she doesn't know where to turn. She doesn't think anyone understands. So how can Harry and Ron help her? Read and find out..oh, and please review!
1. How Things Are

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters so live with it.

Note from author: Wow, my first Harry Potter fic that isn't a cross over. Amazing. The first chapter is really short, but I'll probably post the second chapter later on tonight...yeah. R and R. Love ya bunches!

The gray clouds seemed to gather right above my white Victorian house I called home. It's like the clouds knew the last thing I wanted was for it to rain so they all congregated above my roof just to dampen my spirit. I ran my hand threw my thick brunette hair and sighed.

"So much for soccer." I mumbled. Flopping on to my bed, I placed a pillow over my face and groaned. Just then my bedroom door opened and in stepped my older sister, Leann.

"Mom said you need to brown the meat for supper tonight." She said pointedly. I groaned again and removed the pillow.

"I distinctly remember hearing her tell YOU to brown the meat." I remarked.

"Well you must have heard wrong."

"Well lets just go ask her and see." I started to get up off the bed but Leann quickly mumbled, "Fine." and left the room. I took that as she was defeated and had gone down stairs to brown the meat. I quickly flopped back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. After a minute, I grabbed my stuffed bear Fluffy. I knew it wasn't an original name but I didn't care. I liked it and that's all that mattered.

"I miss 'em." I said to Fluffy. I didn't expect him to remark, but that's okay. He was the only one I had to talk to since my only friends from my town, Michelle and Cameron left for Mexico for the summer.

I hugged Fluffy close and sighed again. The summer had only started a week ago and it was already turning out to be horrendous. I had no one to talk to or hang out with and my mom was treating me like I wasn't even there. Every now and then she would tell me to clean this or to clean that, but that's it. She never asked if I wanted to get out and do something like she asked Leann everyday. It's almost like she favored Leann. Wait, who am I kidding? She DOES favor Leann. But I don't care. I was a daddy's girl so it didn't matter. Only problem was, my dad had left three months ago for a "business trip" and he never came back. My mom knows he isn't coming back. She knows that he left her probably for some tramp in another city, but she doesn't care. Neither did Leann. But I did. It broke my heart when I found he had left. I kept thinking, "Why didn't he take me with him?" Then, two days ago, while my mom was at work and Leann was out shopping with some of her friends, I got a letter with no return address. I knew immediately who it was from. I ripped the envelope open and quickly opened the letter.

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My dearest Hermione,


	2. Why He Left

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Disclaimer: AGAIN, I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Got it?

Note from author: Yeah, I told you I would work on the second chapter later tonight...Yeah, I promise it will be longer this time. That last chapter was the shortest chapter I have EVER posted. Only 533 words..daggum...well anyways, on with the story.

From last chapter, I got a letter with no return address. I knew immediately who it was from. I ripped the envelope open and quickly opened the letter.

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My dearest Hermione,

_I miss you very much. I feel completely awful about how I left you. I can't really explain why everything happened like it did, it is just, I was going crazy Hermione. I felt stuck. I was living in a life I didn't want and there was no way out. The only thing about my life that I wanted was you. But I couldn't have you as a daughter and have the life I wanted. I made a choice I'm not sure I'm happy with, but I chose to leave. I thought it was best for both me and you. You still have your mother and your sister and everything you need at home, but I just couldn't stay there. I couldn't be the father you need if I stayed. This isn't goodbye Hermione, but maybe your mother will find another man that will be a better father that is more right for your mother and your sister and you. I love you very much Hermione and I hope one day you can forgive me._

Love Always,

Dad

By the time I finished the letter, I had tears streaming down my face. None of it made sense to me. It was all wrong. If he wanted me, why didn't he take me with him? How come none of it felt right? Why did he think I have everything I needed with my mom and my sister? My mom and my sister were the last thing I needed. I needed my father.

I had crumpled up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket. That was the last I heard from my dad. I was beginning to think what he said was a lie. That it really was goodbye.

I was still laying on my bed when I heard someone yell from downstairs.

"Hermione! Supper is ready!" It was my mom. I groaned and climbed out of bed. I checked my appearance before I left my room. My hair wasn't as bushy as it once was. It was more silky curls. I was tanner than I used to be and I was more "filled out".

I reached the kitchen and my mom was grabbing glasses from out of the cabinet.

"Here. Take these to the table." She ordered. I grabbed the glasses and began to walk towards the dining room. Before I reached the door of the kitchen, I stopped and turned.

"Mom?" I asked. She let out a groan to indicate that she was listening but rather not be. "Can I go to a friends house for the rest of the summer?" My mom didn't even turn around but said, "You are 16 Hermione, you are old enough to make your own decisions without bothering me." I took that as her rude way of saying yes. Or, she didn't care. I sat the glasses on the table and ran up to my room. I had decided to skip supper and write to a friend. I grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write.

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Dear Ron,

How are you? I hope your summer is going wonderfully. Mine summer has been...different to say in the least. Well, I'm writing to see if I could stay with you the rest of the summer. I know this seems sudden and I can understand if you are too busy or something. I just need to get away. I can't really say much more than that. Well, write back with your answer soon.

Love,

Hermione

I looked at the letter and guessed that it was alright. She rolled it and tied it Crookshanks paw.

"Hey there. I need you to take this to Ron, and please try not to bother him too much." I smiled as I remembered how much Crookshanks and Ron did not get along. My smile only got wider as I thought of Ron. Recently, my feelings for Ron have grown beyond friendship. But only I knew and that was how it was going to stay. I was sure Ron didn't think of that way and I wasn't ready for my heart to be broken so I just left my feelings a secret.

Once Crookshanks was gone, I curled up in the little chair in my room and turned on the radio. I flipped the dial to a pop station where some old song by Brittney Spears was playing so I just turned it off. Instead, I grabbed a book, The Great Gatsby, and began to read. I had already read this book three times at least. It was about a man who made a fortune by bootlegging. He built a mansion close to the woman he was once in love with but who is now married to someone else. There is many affairs going on and it all turns out a great tragedy where everyone dies or disappears or is just depressed. I don't know why I love the book so much. I just do. Maybe because it was so realistic. Most other books would have some fairytale happy ending but not this one. This one told it how it was. Even if how it was is depressing or harsh. I had gotten to the third chapter when I began to feel tired so I laid down in bed and covered up. The warmness almost put me to sleep but I felt something jump on my bed and I bolted up. I relaxed when I saw it was Crookshanks.

"Well that was fast." I said as I patted his head and removed the letter from his leg.

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Dear Hermione,

Of course you can come stay with us for the summer! I don't know what is going on with you, but whatever it is, you can talk to me about. When do you want to come? My dad said he can pick you up sometime tomorrow afternoon if that is not too early. Write back with your response.

Love Always,

Ron

I reread the end of his letter over and over. Love Always, Ron. I sighed and wrote back telling him that tomorrow afternoon was perfect and that he could just keep Crookshanks there until I got there. Once Crookshanks left again, I laid back down. I was going to get up early to pack and get ready to leave. I hoped that once I left tomorrow, I would never have to come back. That night, I cried myself to sleep.


End file.
